ShawnFireDragon coldmolasses@live.ca Posted Nov 24, 2018, 4:15 pm

"He did what?" cried 'Uncle' Randy Smith, almost falling from his bar stool. While staring wide eyed at Ulrik Desertrunner, he starts to fumble in his torn jeans, trying to find the funds to pay for the pint he has just ordered. "He entered that old junk heap of a Hot Rod in the Gateway Whirlwind Track Race! You know the one that is just a tight circle in the dirt pit." Shaking his head Ulrik continues to pour the pint. "Its mad, just minutes before the race he gets it pushed into The Bunker and he starts tearing and ripping the broken down spike dropper from underneath and ordering the mech to remove that rusty old gatling gun from the hood." Finishing his pour, Ulrik hands Randy the pint. "He said it was to reduce the weight." Still tired and weary from the twelve hour courier ride from Badlands Truckstop to Gateway in his 'Express' runner Big Pickup, Randy gladly accepts the cold brew. Placing the cash on the bartop he starts "Hot Rods are not made to spin in circles!" Ulrik places his mug under the tap to catch the drips."The dam fool won you know, he bloody well won. Lapping the competion he did. That rusty bullet rattled chasis bloody won." Randy almost chokes on his pint."Bullet rattled? What are you talking about?" Mezcal's owner narrows his eyes."He has been entering that damn rod in everything he can. Professional Deathraces on the Figure Eight Track and he dosent even bother to go qualify. He just runs it, throws caution in the wind are bloody runs it." Cracking his knuckles."Its been rattled with bullets over and over but he just keeps patching it up." Randy scratches the stuble on his chin."Why have i never hear about this?" Ulrik shakes his head."How could you. You spend all your time in Badlands, other than shotgun courier missions to Gateway and back. You are never here."Picking up his mug."I'll tell you just how much he has raced 'Panther'. That pile of junk is Renowned. Its famed enough that the locals have started betting on it." Breaking a grin."It even draws a crowd when matched against five litre V8 muscle cars packin heat in the 'Trench'. You know the one with all the 90 degree turns." Randy takes another big swig."Now i know your joshin me." Ulrik drains his mug and replaces it under the dripping tap."When do i bloody josh."picks up his bar cloth."He ran that with a 2 litre rotary until he crashed it and nearly broke the wreck in halve.Then he finds an old worn out 3.2 and has been pinning it ever since." The wheels turn faster in Randys head. The DesertRunner never joshes. But what has gotten into Jefferey 'RedRam' Chaffee. Is he suicidal? Na couldn't be. But a Hot Rod, really. Never heard of those straight line race runners be used for anything but. Well but being funny as they crash and burn. How does he get the dang thing to even turn? Randy finishes his pint."Where is the mad hatter?" Ulrik stops wiping the bar top."Well he hasn't been here all day, my guess he is with his 'Renowned' Old Hot Rod." Randy points to the tap."Pour me another brother. I have a feeling i am gonna need it before i talk to Jefferey." Reaching back into his pockets."And see this bullet ridden 'Panther' for myself."